CVE-2020-0730Known exploitation

Local privilege escalation via ProfSvc symlink handling

Published Feb 11, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

An elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Windows allows local users to gain higher privileges via Windows User Profile Service symlink handling. ProfSvc improperly resolves symbolic links while processing user profiles, allowing a low-privileged account to redirect operations to protected locations. Exploitation requires local access and can compromise system integrity and availability without direct confidentiality impact.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.90%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

An elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Windows allows local users to gain higher privileges via Windows User Profile Service symlink handling. ProfSvc improperly resolves symbolic links while processing user profiles, allowing a low-privileged account to redirect operations to protected locations. Exploitation requires local access and can compromise system integrity and availability without direct confidentiality impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-0730
Published
Feb 11, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows 10 Version 1909
Classifications
CWE-59, T1458
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 11, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1909version=unspecified
Microsoft · Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation)version=unspecified
Microsoft · Windowsversion=10 for 32-bit Systems; version=10 for x64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems; version=10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems; version=10 Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems; version=10 Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems; version=10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems; version=7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1; version=7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1; version=8.1 for 32-bit systems; version=8.1 for x64-based systems; version=RT 8.1
Microsoft · Windows Serverversion=2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2; version=2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Core installation); version=2008 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 2; version=2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2; version=2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Core installation); version=2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1; version=2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1; version=2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Core installation); version=2012; version=2012 (Core installation); version=2012 R2; version=2012 R2 (Core installation); version=2016; version=2016 (Core installation); version=2019; version=2019 (Core installation); version=version 1803 (Core Installation)
Microsoft · Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation)version=unspecified
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1903version=unspecified

Published CVSS scores

7.1NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
3.6NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access
T1458Path and File Manipulation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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